Method of gluing articles together.



UNIED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

FREDERICK RENKEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF GLUING ARTICLES TOGETHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,220, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed October 6, 1902. Serial No. 126,126. (No specimens.)

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK RENKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Gluing Articles Together, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to glue articles together in such manner and by such means that the cement or glue used becomes insoluble on drying. It will of course be recognized that my invention may be employed with advantage in the great varietyof instances where such aunion as that described is desirable; but I have found it especially valuable in affixing labels to bottles or other packages, thereby preventing soaking off of the labels and their subsequent fraudulent use. As is well known, unscrupulous dealers frequently remove the labels from empty packages-as wine, whisky, or medicine bottles and use them on other bottles containing imitation goods. The pur chaser is thereby not only defrauded, but the reputation of themanufacturer suffers whose label has thus been fraudulently used, inasmuch as the purchaser, having inspected the label and found it genuine, naturally supposes the inferior or worthless goods contained in the package to be, in fact, what they are purported to be. If, however, the label can be so securely affixed to the original package that it can be removed only by destroying it, the practice just described cannot be resorted to.

To that end I have devised the present invention, which consists of the method now to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

It has heretofore been proposed to use at casein cement for the purpose mentioned; but while labels so secured adhere very firmly they may be, nevertheless, removed by long soaking in water. I have fo und, however, that by combining in a certain way a small quantity of formaldehyde with the casein a union is produced which is not affected to an appreciable degree by any solvent which will not at the same time entirely destroy or disfigure the label beyond recognition. Thus the label cannot be removed unless it is at the same time destroyed or rendered totally unfit for further use.

In practicing my invention I first impregnate the label or whatever article is to be secured in position with formaldehyde. If the article is of paper, it may be impregnated satisfactorily by soaking the same in the chemical and then permitting it to dry, preferably, thoroughly, but at least to the extent that it is not more than merely damp. I then apply a paste, such as that made by dissolving powdered casein in water, and place the label in the desired position. There is then remaining in the paper enough residual formaldehyde to effect such a change in the casein that after it dries and hardens it is completely insoluble, as before described. In fact, the only method of removing a label so affixed is to scrape the same off by using a sharp knife or scraper.

It is not necessary that the entire article be impregnated with the chemical. In many cases it may be sufficient to impregnate the surface which is to receive the cement, as will be readily understood. For example, it would obviouslybe impossible to saturate a block of wood or other substantially impervious article; but if the surface is made slightly moist the desired effect will be produced.

- Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same may be practiced, what I claim is I 1. The herein-described method of gluing or cementing articles together, which consists in impregnating the surface of one of the articles with formaldehyde, then uniting them by means of casein paste or cement, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The herein-described method of affixing labels on bottles and other arti cles,-w'hich consists in soaking the label in formaldehyde, drying the same, then gluing it in position by means of casein paste or cement, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The herein-described method of affixing labels on bottles and other articles, which 001 1- sists in soaking the label in formaldehyde, drying the same, then gluing it in position by means of a solution of casein, as and for the purposes set forth.

FREDERICK RENKEN.

\Vitnesscs:

S. S. DUNI-IAM, M. LAMSON DYER. 

